RACHMANINOFF: Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27; Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14 – Singapore Symphony Orchestra/Lan Shui – BIS multichannel SACD-1712, 68:05 [Distr. by Qualiton] ****:
Don’t discount this new release due to the unusual orchestra. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1979, has a high level of excellence and an international profile. They have recorded all the Tcherepnin symphonies and piano concertos and perform around the world. The Swedish label BIS has been recording in the Far East for some time and has won acclaim for its Bach Cantata series recorded in Japan.
This is some of Rachmaninoff’s best instrumental music, a long indulgent symphony packed with gorgeous melodies and rich and full orchestrations. He wrote it at the same time he was working on a couple of his operas, which are now mostly forgotten, and used some music from his Francesca da Rimini opera at the main climax of the first movement. Other tunes from that opera are featured in the Adagio movement, and the finale opens and closes in strong and high-spirited style that sums up beautifully materials heard in the preceding movements. The Vocalise is one of the most gorgeous Rachmaninoff melodies and is always welcome to hear.
While an excellent and well-recorded performance, I tend to personally prefer the Cincinnati Symphony version with Paavo Jarvi on a Telarc SACD for its somewhat greater enthusiasm, and of course there’s that famous sub-rumbling Telarc bass drum not heard on other versions. But this one is well worth anyone’s consideration.
– John Sunier